Squash & Pumpkin: #SquashGoals

by G.G. McQueen, Michael Slack (Illustrator)

Overview

It's a pumpkin spice showdown! Acorn Squash wants her fair share of the seasonal spotlight in this a hilarious "odd couple" picture book with plenty of fall flair.

It’s not easy being best friends with Pumpkin. Each fall, she’s everyone’s favorite gourd. The queen of lattes, the ultimate pie, the STAR of autumn—­pumpkin spice is EVERYWHERE!

But now Acorn Squash has #SquashGoals. She’s going to prove she has something to offer too. Voila! It’s Acorn Squash everything!

In this heartwarming and humorous tale of seasonal rivalry, plucky Acorn Squash is determined to step out of Pumpkin's trendy shadow and into the autumnal limelight. 

From a harvest festival booth to an unexpected partnership, this story of friendship and self-discovery will teach kids that everyone has something special to offer, and being someone's favorite can be the best feeling of all.

Join the adventure as Squash and Pumpkin unite, proving that together they are the true spice of the season!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593805923
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	08/26/2025
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

G.G. McQUEEN has been a TV writer for The Great American Baking Show, Secret Guide to Fabulous, and MTV's VMAs. She has also performed improv and sketch comedy around New York City. Squash and Pumpkin: #SquashGoals is her first children's book.

MICHAEL SLACK is an artist, illustrator, character designer, and award-winning app designer. He has illustrated many funny picture books, including Kitties On Dinosaurs, which he also authored, and Nugget & Fang by Tammi Sauer. He lives with his family in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Editorial Reviews

"This lively fall story about friendship and collaboration will boost children’s feelings of empathy. . . . The cheery, dynamic illustrations, bursting with bright autumnal colors and personable, googly-eyed characters, are delightful. . . . A charming story to fall into in autumn or any season; it might even tempt kids to try acorn squash."—Kirkus

"A clever fall read. Readers will enjoy Acorn Squash’s ingenuity when he tries to sell ­people on squash jerky or Squilk, a new squash milk. Children will recognize feelings of jealousy when Pumpkin takes center stage but also appreciate how the two main characters recognize that friendship is more important than fame. This fall-themed story of friendship is bursting with puns and ­adorable, big-eyed vegetables."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2025-03-22
It’s good to be a gourd.

Besties Acorn Squash and Pumpkin love spending time in winter, spring, and summer. Come autumn, though, Pumpkin receives all the adulation. People clamor for pumpkin pie, pumpkin lattes, and pumpkin bisque. Other gourds go unnoticed; Acorn Squash feels left out. This year, our protagonist has “#SquashGoals.” Determined to become an “Autumn STAR,” Acorn Squash sets up a booth at the Harvest Festival and spotlights goodies like “Squilk” (acorn squash–flavored milk). Sadly, Acorn Squash garners zero attention, while Pumpkin’s relentless PR team guarantees that huge crowds will clamor for her. In a surprise twist, Pumpkin tracks down Acorn Squash. In need of respite from the madness, she just wants to spend time with her pal. The crowds won’t let Pumpkin go, though, so Acorn Squash suggests joining forces, giving the public “a double dose of autumn awesomeness!” Consequently, “SquashKin” becomes a hot new trend, and the gourds are now besties inevery season. This lively fall story about friendship and collaboration will boost children’s feelings of empathy; Acorn Squash is especially appealing and relatable. At times, the text has an adult sensibility, though: References to soup subscriptions, the paparazzi, and a PR team pushing hair, makeup, and autograph-signing appointments will likely sail over kids’ heads. Still, the cheery, dynamic illustrations, bursting with bright autumnal colors and personable, googly-eyed characters, are delightful. Humans are diverse.

A charming story to fall into in autumn or any season; it might even tempt kids to try acorn squash.(Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews